How to Play Hearts Card Game Online for Free

Are you ready to test your strategic thinking and card-playing skills? Look no further than the classic Hearts card game online, free to play and available now! In this article, we'll delve into the rules of the game, exploring how to meld, lay off, and discard cards to emerge victorious.

Understanding Melds

In Hearts, a meld is a combination of three or more cards that share a common attribute. There are two types of valid melds: sets (also known as groups or books) and runs (sometimes called sequences). A set consists of three or four same-ranking cards, while a run is three or more consecutive cards of the same suit.

How to Meld

To meld, simply take multiple cards from your hand and place them face-up on the table. This combination of cards remains in its original form throughout the game. Players have three ways to rid themselves of cards: melding, laying off, and discarding.

Laying Off

When you lay off, you add cards from your hand to existing melds already on the table. For example, if someone has melded a sequence of hearts (9-10-Jack-Queen), you can add the 8 of hearts to complete the sequence. Similarly, if they've melded a set of spades (3-4-5), you can add the 2 or 6 of spades to expand their set.

Consecutive Cards Do Not Constitute a Valid Sequence

It's essential to note that consecutive cards of different suits do not form a valid sequence. A run must consist of three or more consecutive cards of the same suit.

Melding: The Quickest Way to Get Rid of Cards

By melding, laying off, and discarding, you can quickly rid yourself of unwanted cards in your hand. Remember that once you've melded a combination of cards, it remains on the table for the duration of the game.

How to Play Hearts Card Game Online

To play Hearts online for free, follow these steps:

1. Shuffle the deck and deal out cards to each player.

2. Each player sorts their hand, looking for opportunities to meld and lay off cards.

3. The dealer places the rest of the deck face down next to it, forming the stockpile.

4. Players take turns drawing cards from the stockpile or discarding one card at a time from their hand onto the discard pile.

The Goal: Get Rid of All Your Cards First

The ultimate objective is simple: be the first player to get rid of all your cards. With practice and strategy, you can master the art of Hearts online for free and emerge victorious over your opponents.

So what are you waiting for? Join a game today and start playing Hearts online for free!

Hearts card game online free play